NAREG SCHOOL’S GRADUATION CEREMONY
Alexander-Michael Hadjilyra

Gibrahayer

J une 18, 2008

On Wednesday, 18 June 2008, at Nicosia Nareg Varjaran’s outdoor
amphitheatre, Gibrahayer’s nor serount had its day: the graduation
ceremony for the school year 2007-2008. The three Nareg Elementary
Schools (Nicosia, Larnaca and Limassol) and Nareg Gymnasium
(Junior High School) held a wonderful graduation ceremony. This
year’s graduation was different than previous held by the school,
for two main reasons: Nicosia’s Nareg Varjaran celebrated its 35th
anniversary at its present location and, for the first time, Nareg
Gymnasium had its first graduates!

The ceremony started at 18:30 with the entrance of Nareg’s Headmaster,
Mr Arto Aivazian, followed by the 25 graduates, 20 girls and 5
boys. Ara Kevorkian’s musical synthesis "Garod" (nostalgia for the home
country) accompanied their entrance. After the graduates were seated,
the school choir sang the National Anthems of Cyprus and Armenia,
as well as the School Anthem. The opening speeches were delivered
by Mrs Yeran Kouyoumdjian, Secretary of the School Committee, and by
Headmaster Aivazian.

For the first time since the school’s opening in 1972, the Headmaster’s
speech included a page in Greek, for the benefit of the Inspector
and Greek Cypriot Nareg Staff.

After the two concise speeches, two poems were recited by the
graduate students: one for the school’s graduates, and one for the
Armenian people. Then, the graduation diplomas were presented to
the 20 Elementary School graduates (17 from Nicosia, 1 from Larnaca
and 2 from Limassol) and to the first 5 Gymnasium graduates by the
Armenian MP at the House of Representatives, Mr Vartkes Mahdessian,
with the blessings of Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian, followed by the
delivery of two awards by the Chairman of the School Committee, Mr
Krikor Haroutunian, one for athletic performance to Elena Kaprielian,
and one for model student to Marita Aredjian.

The awards were given in the loving memory of the late Toutoundjian
family, killed onboard the Helios Airways’ tragic flight 522 to
Athens on 14 August 2005; both Ara (aged 16) and Baret (aged 12) were
students at Nareg Varjaran, killed along with their mother, Hilda,
and their father, Hagop who was a member of the School Committee at
the time of his death. May they always rest in peace…

Later on, Christina Argyridou greeted us in Armenian on behalf of
the Elementary School graduates, and Maneh Tunjikian greeted us with
a moving Greek speech on behalf of the Gymnasium graduates. After
the two speeches, retiring teacher, Sarah Vorsganian, delivered an
encouraging speech addressed to the graduates.

After these speeches, the school’s dance troupe performed a folkloric
Armenian dance (choreographer A. Mkhitarian), dressed in traditional
Armenian costumes, cheering the spectators with their rhythm,
co-ordination and liveliness, and then the school choir (under music
teacher music teacher Sarkis Demirdjian) kicked in, singing a melodious
Armenian song; right after that, Nareg graduates joined the choir
in singing the farewell song. The graduation ceremony finished at
around 19:40 with a prayer by Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian, der
Momik Habeshian and der Mashdotz Ashkarian.

After the community’s prominent figures and the proud parents and
other family members congratulated the 25 bright graduates, indeed
the future of the great GibrosI Armenian community, everyone went
to a nice cocktail inside the school. For about an hour and a half,
social conversation and gossip came and went between those who enjoyed
the variety of drinks and food available. The catering was excellent!

Towards the end of the cocktail, the schoolchildren spontaneously
started dancing the "Miasnoutian Shourchbar" on the upper floor
of Nareg Varjaran, accompanied by confetti and presenting us with a
lovely sight and sound, under the yellowish full moon and the slightly
breezy night.

Occasions like this remind us that the future of all communities,
especially of a small one like the Gibrahayer, lies in the hands, minds
and spirits of a well-educated nor serount, and that these youngsters
will soon become the future leaders of the community. We were also
reminded of the importance of a solid and comprehensive education,
which ensures that the students are equipped with an invaluable asset
to deal with the adversities of tomorrow’s competitive society.

I think that the school administration and, particularly Headmaster
Aivazian, deserve a bravo for the excellently organised graduation
ceremony.